Queen Sumitrā then considered that during Lakṣmaṇa’s residence in the forest, His mind might become afflicted by remembering His father, mother and city, and so speaks this verse.

She wanted Lakṣmaṇa to consider Rāma as His father, Sītā as His mother and the forest as His place of happy residence just as Ayodhyā had been [His place of happy residence]. Gaccha tāta yathā-sukham indicates that Lakṣmaṇa following Rāma was itself His appropriate [source of] happiness.

Rāmaṁ daśarathaṁ viddhi can also be read as rāmaṁ daśa-rathaṁ viddhi, with the additional understanding that daśa-ratha means “one whose vehicle is a bird,” that is, Lord Viṣṇu; thus this statement can mean “Know Rāma to be Lord Viṣṇu.”

Māṁ viddhi janakātmajām. Here mām refers to Lakṣmī, and so this statement can mean “Know Jānakī to be Lakṣmī.”

Ayodhyāṁ aṭavīṁ viddhi would then mean that Lakṣmaṇa should know that the place where they, that is, Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa, live is ayodhyā or the unconquerable city in Vaikuṇṭha known as Aparājita.

The first line and the first half of the second line also means, “Consider Rāma and Daśaratha. Consider me and Jānakī. Consider Ayodhyā and the forest.” It is implied that Lakṣmaṇa should compare between each of them: Rāma is superior to Daśaratha, Sītā is superior to Sumitrā in terms of being Lakṣmaṇa’s well-wisher, and the forest is superior to Ayodhyā since He can personally serve Rāma better in the forest than in the city of Ayodhyā.

Yet another meaning of these portions of the verse: “Consider Daśaratha to have retired. Consider me to be in my father’s home after being banished by Kaikeyī. Consider Ayodhyā to be a forest since it will soon become depopulated.”

Other such intended meanings can also be inferred.